Maryland dealers will usually handle the titling and registration of your vehicle for you. The dealer will provide you with a bill of sale and temporary (cardboard) or permanent (metal) license plates before you drive the vehicle off the lot. The Maryland Certificate of Title will be printed and mailed to you later. If a lien is placed against your title, a Maryland Security Interest Filing (SIF) will be mailed to the lien holder at the same time.

If the dealer does not handle the titling and registration of your vehicle, perhaps because you purchased the vehicle from an out-of-state dealer, you will have to submit the application documents yourself. You can apply in person at any of the MVA’s full servicebranch offices. You also can mail the documents to the MVA’sMail In Title Unitin the Glen Burnie office, or go to anMVA licensed tag and title servicewhere they will assist you in applying.

Notes:

Typically, the title application documents needed (along with payment for taxes and fees) include:

Certificate of origin – This is an ownership document produced by the vehicle’s manufacturer.

Bill of sale

Odometer disclosure statement

Under certain circumstances, additional information and/or forms may be required:

Lien information – If you borrowed money to buy the vehicle, you may need to record your lien information on the application. The MVA Security Interest Filing Statement form must be used if a second lien is placed against the title.

Power of attorney – If someone other than you, the new owner, is signing the titling forms, this document is required.

To register the vehicle (most cases) additional forms are usually needed.Registration requirements vary greatly by the type and intended use of the vehicle. The requirements for most vehicles can be found inRegistration – Common Vehicles.

Your title will be mailed to you regardless of whether you apply through the dealer, or directly to the MVA. The dealer often will be able to provide your registration card, license plates and expiration date stickers when you purchase the vehicle.

Note: On July 1, 2015 all businesses wishing to title a vehicle will be required to show proof of the legal existence of the business. The business will be given a number with a "Z" to identify it.

TheReal ID Act requires that all Personal Identifying Information (PII) must be placed on the actual Driver License, Identification Card or Permit. Therefore any name changes must be done through the Driver Licensing System (DLS) prior to document changes.

If you do not have the documents needed to complete the change of name through the DLS, the title transaction may be completed using your current name as it appears on your State issued identification. Maryland Vehicle Law requires the customer to apply for a corrected title within 30 days of a name change by completing the Application for Corrected Title Due to a Name Change form (VR-448).